Fundamental elements of computer

FUNDAMENTAL ELEMENTS OF A COMPUTER

Output Device

System Unit

Input Devices

SYSTEM UNIT• THE CORE OF A COMPUTER IS

RESPONSIBLE FOR PROCESSING AND STORING DATA AND CONTROLS ALL COMPUTER FUNCTIONS.

THE SYSTEM CASE

•IS A PLASTIC AND METAL BOX THAT HOUSES COMPONENTS SUCH AS MOTHERBOARD, DISK DRIVES AND POWER SUPPLY UNIT

SYSTEM CASE TYPE• DESKTOP CASE-is designed to sit

horizontally on a surface so that it is wider than it is long.

TOWER CASE

•IS DESIGNED TO SIT VERTICALLY ON A SURFACE SO THAT IT IS HIGHER THAN IT IS WIDE.

PARTS OF THE CASE

MOTHERBOARD

• IS THE MOST IMPORTANT COMPONENT OF YOUR COMPUTER, ONE POINT OR ANOTHER, EVERY OTHER COMPONENT CONNECTS TO THE MOTHERBOARD

THE CPU

•The Central Processing

Unit- is the device that interprets and executes instructions. The CPU is the chip that functions as the “brain of a computer.

MEMORY

MAIN MEMORY• VERY CLOSELY CONNECTED TO THE

PROCESSOR.• THE CONTENTS ARE QUICKLY AND

EASILY CHANGED.• HOLDS THE PROGRAMS AND DATA

THAT PROCESSOR IS ACTIVELY WORKING WITH.

• INTERACTS WITH THE PROCESSOR MILLIONS OF TIMES PER SECOND.

RAM (Random Access Memory

• Means the memory cells can be accessed in any order.

• Its just a normal memory which means the computer can store, retrieve, alter or delete any items. It can be read and write. (volatile)

DIMM(Dual Inline Memory Module)

• A computer RAM or main memory is build from a small circuit board or memory chip called MEMORY MODULES.

• DIMM chips usually 64MB, 128MB or 256 MB, have to access pathways (read and write at the same time)

ROM BIOSRead Only Memory

Basic Input Output System

• Provides the industry standard program code that operates the fundamental components of the PC.

• Ensures that the design of each manufacturer’s motherboard is PC-compatible.

CMOS RAMComplimentary

Metal-Oxide Semiconductor

• Stores the configuration of the PC (password, disk types, amount of memory installed, current time and date.)

• Require very little power to operate and use battery power to maintain their settings.

SECONDARY MEMORY

• IS WHERE PROGRAMS AND DATA ARE KEPT ON A LONG TERM BASIS.

• COMMON SECONDARY STORAGE DEVICES ARE THE FLOPPY DISK, HARD DISK, AND COMPACT DISK, FLASH DISK.

FLOPPY DISK (DISKETTE)

•IS A ROUND BUT COMES PERMANENTLY SEALED IN A SQUARE DUST JACKET.

•THE TYPICAL 3 ½ FLOPPY DISK CAN HOLDS 1.44 MB.

HARD DISK

• MIGHT HAVE A CAPACITY OF 40 GB.

• IS NON REMOVABLE , ITS STUCK PERMANENTLY INSIDE THE SYSTEM UNIT

• ITS ALSO CALLED AS “FIX DISK”

COMPACT DISK –CD

• A CD THAT HOLDS MUSIC IS CALLED “Music CD or “Audio CD)

• A CD THAT HOLDS computer data is called as “data CD”

• It is also called as CD ROM.

CD-RW (CD-ReWritable)

• A blank CD which you can write onto blank and then edit what you wrote.

DVD (Digital Versatile Disk)

•Can hold more information, a two hour movie or 4.7GB of data

OTHER PERIPHERAL

DEVICES

VIDEO CARD

•A board that plugs into PC to give display capabilities

•It also called as video adapter, video board, video display board or graphics card.

INTERNAL MODEM

•IN ORDER TO CONNECT TO THE INTERNET YOU NEED SOME FORM OF MODEM (Modulator/Demodulator)

•Modem convert (modulate) the digital code to analogue code, then convert them back (demodulate) at the other end.

POWER SUPPLY

• SUPPLIES THE FUEL (POWER) FOR THE COMPUTER. CONVERT THE VOLTAGE NEEDED TO THE MOTHER BOARD AND DRIVES.

• IT ALSO CONTAINS A FAN HELPS IN COOLING THE COMPUTER

IDE AND FLOPPY RIBBON CABLE

•IDE stands for Integrated Device Electronics.

•This device contains wires that are used to transfer data between the motherboard and the drive/s.

End of the Lesson